msmola2002

Greetings

I have obtained an SM damper, which I have since added a 36-2 trigger to. My shitbox is however an NA8, so I gots some retrofitting to do. I have obtained a BP4W valve cover to run the front cam sensor using a KAInjection cam pulley, with the 3 timing lugs installed. I currently have the MSPNP2 installed and have an elite 1500 haltech which according to this https://www.miataturbo.net/ecus-tuni...0/#post1539044 should be able to run a 36-2 + 3 tooth ignition setup.

For the harness, as per the guidance in here: https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...uro-car-72134/ I will be using the wiring that runs the NA CAS to drive both the Cam and Crank sensors – For each, basically splitting the power feed off the CAS, and sending the crank signal off as the Trigger and the cam signal to the home pins, on the ECU, respectively.






So, that is the plan. Now the variables. I want your experience when it comes to NB sensors, cos I have a CAS right now and it works and I don’t know dirty NB things.

Sensor choice.

Crank sensor – I was planning on buying an NTK sensor, as it is a known brand and their stuff is apparently decent quality. Budget does not currently run to a Ballenger unlimited shielded full-**** sensor unless totally necessary, so a decent oem replacement was the plan. Has anyone had issues with NTK stuff when it comes to crank sensors? Or should I pay not 60 bucks, but 127 or so and buy a genuine unit? Or a 3 pack of ebay specials for 25 bucks and change them with my underpants?



Cam sensor.

This one is the one that gives me the most concern, what with it being a known issue of failure. Ideally I want this setup to be reliable and just not have to think about the thing. And here are my thoughts, while massively overthinking this.



Options

1) OEM style sensor. Pay the moneys, buy an OEM, or was looking at an NTK for 45 bucks and send it, and keep a tested cheapy for a spare. I spent 10 bucks and have a spare ebay one already.




2) When I bought the valve cover I bought the cheapest imaginable sensor off eBay, mainly for dimensions. I wanted to see if it was possible to substitute a Honeywell GT101 like this https://www.efihardware.com/products...ensor-1GT101DC which is also sold by haltech, or is available from 1001 electronic suppliers. Someone has used one previously but was mounted on a bracket for a crank trigger and had some other funky install for the cam. I measured the OEM vs the drawing of that in the above link and the Honeywell is about 5mm longer, and the mounting tab hole is offset a bit. So with a washer to shim it out, and punching out the brass insert on the mount and fabbing up a solution that is an option as well, but is not as easy of a fix, but could be done






3) Ballenger motorsports OEM upgrade. https://www.bmotorsports.com/shop/pr...oducts_id/4310 75 bucks, uses a pigtail or a plug to make the harness with. I have open barrel crimps so can do that. Or I can spend 125 or 250 for similar options with more bling, and deutsch plugs. I like deutsch plugs. And the unlimited cam and crank sensors while costing five ****** hundred bucks for both sensors would be 95% of my harness with the exception of crimping 2 wires together for power and are already shielded etc, but streetkor not racekor and the thought of spending that on 2 sensors for a streetcar when I can buy 3 shitty ebay ones for 30 bucks triggers my IBS. Does anyone have feedback on these? I am bummed I missed the 2 sensors for sale on here a couple of days ago. Only feedback or info is some timing weirdness from one guy with a VVT here, https://www.miataturbo.net/engine-pe...timing-103265/ so any other DPE appreciated.





4) Did some digging and this is the only thread with pics due to deletion off flickr and cached here. https://www.miataturbo.net/ecus-tuni...6/#post1298719 Fellow Aussie @Eipgam found that the mode of failure appears to be BP tractor things causing vibration and the plugs **** out. As I am only running this ignition setup on an aftermarket ECU this would work for me. Drill out my shitty ebay sensor and install the Haltech red sensor, which is a Cherry/ZF unit. It is kinda long and sticks out, but I’m sure I could spend days spergering out and find a suitable similar alternative 1” shorter if need be, but this is obviously a tested solution if not the most elegant.










So those are basically my options and as this is a clean sheet I could do any of them – stocker sensor, Ballenger stuff, Honeywell, or the Cherry/haltech red option.

So, what would YOU do, is the question? Any other ideas/criticism/whatever welcome

Thank you.

Eipgam

Thanks for tagging me (fellow Aussie) Since 2015 the cherry red sensor fix has not failed. The sensor looks a lot better now as the car has had a complete rewire (no OEM left).

If you are in Queensland give me a shout as I have many spare sensors of the type you need :( Why? When the issue surfaced I found that replacing the sensor worked for some time, however would eventually fail. The failure was not the sensor rather the plug...

1. J5T23181 Old OEM part Number
2. ZJ10-18-221 new OEM part number
3. J5T30772 (Sold by Repco/Supercheap RAE part no SC271)
4. J5T30773 (Sold by MX5 Mania)

Depending on the ECU you have logging the home/trigger signals may help identify where the issue is.

A 'test' if the connector is the issue is to cable tie it together and take it for a test run. This should confirm if it is a plug connector issue.

msmola2002

Thank you for the additional info. Unfortunately I am not currently in Oz, I moved to the US a decade ago. I'm in Upstate New York, in one of the cloudiest places in the country, with a shitty winter, but I am only 2h from Watkins Glen and 3h from Lime Rock Park, even though I never make it to either of them - my 20s were misspent in NSW, blowing all my cash at Oran park, Eastern Creek and Wackyfield Park in my E30 and 2002. I don;t know if you know any of the PerformanceForums guys, but my E30 came from Bahaimus, from SEQ.

I don't have a harness yet - I am looking at the best way to do this from scratch - if I ever go back to stock ECU to sell or whatever, the CAS will get plugged in. The Haltech/Cherry working flawlessly for 5 years since you did the install does sound very promising, thank you. I can probably set this thing up with the ebay sensor, confirm it all works then maybe go that way. Did some googling and found a BMW guy made this - pic prior to tapping the centre out with an M12x1.

I wish I had access to a machine shop, cos that looks like a perfect way to do it!

Eipgam

My 20's were misspent on 250cc two stroke road bikes, then on 500 versions

Now I blow money on attending World Time Attack in Sydney running a naturally aspirated MX5, however plans are to change this to a booster MZR engine into the NA6 chassis. The cause for the MZR can be tracked back to two Americans that frequent this forum

Happy to have been some help

msmola2002

Awesome! I had 2 RGVs, sold one before I moved here and my other VJ22 is sitting in my dad's garage with a dropped powervalve. I also had a Honda RS125 - 1991, was gonna go hysteric racing, then got a job offer here) I was waaay too fat for it and it was sold a year or two ago to pay some HECS. I bought a VTR1000 SP2 over here but I think I'm done with the street bikes.

I did like Eastern Creek. I think my best in the dirty30 was about a 1:56. Lot of fun that car and I miss it. Grunty 2.7 stroker with big cam. I know it is another 1000km, but if you get a chance to drive down to Philip Island, hit it up. I did it once and the place was absolutely amazing. Would be even better with a couple hundred more HP than the BP

Eipgam

That is the plan, Phillip Island (and the Bend) on the bucket list. Would be nice to run the boosted 2.5ltr NA6 at PI I would really like to park a RZ500 and a H2750 tripple in the shed next to my ZX6R (F3) 1996 (600cc on carbs).

Did you find this thread on here https://www.miataturbo.net/ecus-tuni...3/#post1213264?

msmola2002

A man of taste I see. I too like the green. I didn't have any kwakkas til I moved over here - I have a KLX110, KX250 and KX125 Soft spot for those ninjas, I remember watching Gobert at PI backing that thing into Honda hairpin as a teenager, and stuck with me - I think that was 96 as well.

Yeppers, saw that thread, that is where I stole your photos for the Cherry install. It was also a driver for me not wanting to stick with the stock sensor if there is a better alternative. Build it once with the right parts and don't carry a box of spare parts around to be fixing it - considered something like the evo sensor, but if i am spending the money to reinvent the wheel may as well buy the Ballenger option - or use the sensor haltech sells and recommends, which i am leaning towards. Also nothing stopping me from having a stock sensor on a pigtail either. i think I may set it up with the ebayu stocker i have, since the distance etc is set, plug and play, make sure it works (one variable at a time - my shitty wiring then is only one) then go for the more permanent option.

Eipgam

I keep a few spare sensors with pig tails in the toolbox just in case, however never needed it so far.

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

Not sure if the pic shows the final configuration or not but you'll need some sort of strain relief on that bit of harness hanging off the sensor. Otherwise it will hinge back and forth with every revolution of the crank, work harden the wires and fracture them. Key in strain relief is to eliminate all "hinges" where any portion of the harness bends even a few degrees. If flex is needed, configure and support so that movement happens evenly over a long span of the harness, never next to a connector. This, from our shop experience building a bunch of sprint, tt and endurance race cars.

Martin Y

Thanks for posting this pic. I'm adding '99 cam & crank sensors to my '94 engine, making a CAS adapter loom like the one in the diagram a few posts up, but I'm not clear if the connectors shown there are as seen from the pin side or the wire side, so there's a risk I'll mirror the wiring.

Your photo confirms what I thought about the cam sensor (from left to right that's W/R, GY/L, B/L) which is great but the out-of-focus crank sensor looks as if it's the reverse of what I expected. I *thought* it was from left to right B/L, Y/W, W/R but your seems to have a pale wire on the left and a dark wire on the right. That might be a red herring as you may not have used the same wire colours, but can you or anyone else confirm how the stock wiring should look?

The sensor I bought has its connector wired B, L, R from left to right and that means black would be Ground and red would be +12V (which makes sense) if B/L, Y/W, W/R is correct. Can anyone confirm please?